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Instead of replacing painted ceramic kitchen canisters that no longer fit the room's decor, update them with additional paints and faux-finishing techniques to give them a distressed look. Keep your handiwork limited to the outside of each canister to ensure the insides stay safe for edible substances.

1

Cover a work area, preferably outdoors, with newspaper.

2

Remove the lid from each canister. Cover the opening of the canister with painter's tape to keep the inside free from dust and paint, and to prevent accidental sanding of the canister opening, which may make it unsafe for food. Trim the tape with a craft knife as needed to keep the tape off of everything except the top rim of the canister.

3

Place the canisters and lids atop the newspaper. Sand the outside of each canister with fine-grit sandpaper while wearing a dust mask. Sand just enough to scuff the paint up slightly and make it more receptive to a fresh coat of paint. Repeat the process with each lid, sanding only the outside, not the lower rim or inside. Wipe the canisters and lids with a soft cloth to remove the dust.

4

Set a large cardboard box on its side atop the newspaper. Place one canister inside the spray box.

5

Shake the spray can for a minute or two; then paint the canister by holding the can 12 to 18 inches from it, moving in slow, parallel, overlapping strokes. Set its lid atop the newspaper or inside the box, top side facing up. Spray the lid in similar fashion. Use a paint color different from the original finish, such as black atop white or red.

6

Rotate both the canister and lid after 15 or 20 minutes and paint the missed areas. Allow the paint to dry for 30 minutes or as recommended on the spray can; then apply a second coat, if needed, allowing it to dry as well.

7

Paint the remaining canisters and lids, as in Steps 6 and 7. Allow all paint to dry for an hour or two.

8

Sand through some of the top paint layer on each canister and lid. If the canisters have textured or embossed details, focus on those areas, as the distressing will be more obvious. Wipe the dust away with a soft cloth.

Things You Will Need

Newspaper

Painter's tape

Craft knife

Fine-grit sandpaper

Dust mask

Soft cloth

Spray paint designed for slick surfaces

Large cardboard box

Tips

To create an even more distressed, aged appearance, rub candle wax over the top paint color once it dries; then paint the canisters and lids again with a fresh paint color. Sand through the top layer in some areas to reveal the original paint color in some areas, the middle shade in a few others.

For an even more aged appearance, rub a small amount of tinted latex glaze over the top paint layer, wiping most of it away with a rag. Choose a glaze shade such as honey yellow, pale turquoise, brown or gray for the aged effect.

Apply a crackle medium, then another layer of paint, to give the ceramic a crackled finish.

Warning

Paint on a non-windy day outdoors or in a well-ventilated area while wearing a dust mask. Move all other objects away from the project area to avoid overspray.

About the Author

Kathy Adams is an award-winning journalist and freelance writer who traveled the world handling numerous duties for music artists. She writes travel and budgeting tips and destination guides for USA Today, Travelocity and ForRent, among others. She enjoys exploring foreign locales and hiking off the beaten path stateside, snapping pics of wildlife and nature instead of selfies.